I know there are a lot of writers out there. Some budding some, well, not budding. I'm a writer too. I wouldn't call myself a budding writer, I've been doing this since... Okay the typical answer would be "since before I can remember" but I want to give an atypical answer. Problem is I don't remember when I started writing stories. I do remember when I started writing down anything that came to mind though, and that was all the way back to age 7. I've been writing for 15 years. That's a long darn time! As stated in "22.2" I have not published anything. That isn't to say I haven't anything to show for 15 years in the art of writing.
This is not my first blog.It is the first one I've taken seriously, but it's actually number 8 or 9. The others are pretty much shut down for life. They're still up and readable by some poor, unfortunate soul. But they shall never again be updated. I've already got this baby all figured out (I have a notepad sitting next to me with this blog's directory). I've written (once) for my college newspaper (and yes, that article was published, so technically "22.2" lied). I've written for school, tutored, edited, and blogged my brains out. And then I discovered a site where I can take my creativity seriously, and everyone else takes it seriously too.
September 14, 2012
22.2
Late last night I promised a list of what I have not done and failed to accomplish, along with the counter-lists of what I have done and accomplished. When I thought about it today I discovered what I failed to accomplish and what I have not done are exactly the same things, and likewise for the other list. So it's really only two lists instead of four. That means, less work for me and less time wasted for you in reading lists about someone you don't know.
What I've failed to accomplish in my 22 years on this green earth:
1. I haven't traveled the globe or even been to all 50 states.
2. I've never gone on a date.
3. I never graduated from college.
4. I never went to high school.
5. I've never had a job.
6. I don't own a car.
7. I've never lived on my own.
8. I've never taken a road trip on my own or with friends.
9. I've never won anything of any sort.
10. I've never protested anything.
11. I can't speak any foreign languages.
12. I can't read maps.
13. I've never published or recorded anything.
14. I've never had a volunteer job.
15. I've never traveled to a different state on my own.
16. I've never competed in sports.
17. I've never starred in anything.
18. I haven't made myself a bucket list.
I know that doesn't seem like a very serious list of failures, but those are the things everyone I know has already done and then some. But here's what I have done:
1. I've been to Canada and England and most of the 50 states.
2. I may not have any relationships but I have plenty of meaningful friendships. I seem to collect international folks, disabled persons (my dearest friend has Down's Syndrome), and the eclectically eccentric (of which I am also one).
3. I may not have graduated in the standard 4 years of higher education, I am in fact starting my fifth year of college. The point is, I'm in college as opposed to having dropped out.
4. I graduated high school. I know I said I never went to high school, the clarification would be I never set foot in a physical high school. I was homeschooled my entire life and took classes with other kids in a physical building, but was never actually a part of any high school. I consider this an accomplishment and a blessing.
5. I'm self employed. Successfully I might add.
6. I have never used public transportation. Yes that's an accomplishment. I call.
7. Yes I still live with my parents. How's that an accomplishment? I'm not on the streets or struggling to pay any bills. I don't pay rent, I'm well fed for free, I have a loving support group 24/7, and I get free advice whether I asked for it or not. Plus they let me borrow their cars so long as I'm willing to run errands for them. Sounds fair to me.
8. I've driven across the country more than once.
9. I've lived in more than two states.
10. I've lived in more than two cities in some states.
11. I've lived on both coasts.
12. I won a gold medal in music. I know this contradicts with #9 in the other list, but I wasn't competing for this medal. My teacher gave me a medal because I was one of her top students and I improved drastically in one year from my former musical self. She felt the need to reward my hard work, by letting me know she saw the difference in my attitude and heard the difference in my music. I also won third place in a writing contest, but there was no prize, just the knowledge that I beat out everybody else for that position.
13. I mediated a heated protest for 3 weeks. Everyone on campus knew who I was for the rest of the year. I actually was treated with a lot more respect then than I ever have been in my entire life. It was really cool.
14. I taught myself Ancient Greek. I may not be able to speak it, but I sure can read it (well, read enough of it to get the general gist) and I can write phonetically in it. I usually end up writing people's names in it because they want proof that I can.
15. I learned all my geography by tutoring the international students. The highest compliments from them are that I'm their first stop instead of the tutoring center and they're all convinced I tutor better than the professors teach.
16. I have never received a negative review or comment about my music. Ever. Hence the successful self-employment.
17. I'm severely dyslexic but that hasn't stopped me from majoring in the English department.
18. The easiest instrument for me happens to be one of the hardest in the world to learn. If I had known that then, I would have said forget it. I didn't know it was hard, and for me, it never has been.
So there you have it. I may not have accomplished the same things my friends have, but I've accomplished some pretty neat things. I don't know about you, but I think I should get a 23rd year. ;)
Until next time this is the Amazon Artiste signing off.
What I've failed to accomplish in my 22 years on this green earth:
1. I haven't traveled the globe or even been to all 50 states.
2. I've never gone on a date.
3. I never graduated from college.
4. I never went to high school.
5. I've never had a job.
6. I don't own a car.
7. I've never lived on my own.
8. I've never taken a road trip on my own or with friends.
9. I've never won anything of any sort.
10. I've never protested anything.
11. I can't speak any foreign languages.
12. I can't read maps.
13. I've never published or recorded anything.
14. I've never had a volunteer job.
15. I've never traveled to a different state on my own.
16. I've never competed in sports.
17. I've never starred in anything.
18. I haven't made myself a bucket list.
I know that doesn't seem like a very serious list of failures, but those are the things everyone I know has already done and then some. But here's what I have done:
1. I've been to Canada and England and most of the 50 states.
2. I may not have any relationships but I have plenty of meaningful friendships. I seem to collect international folks, disabled persons (my dearest friend has Down's Syndrome), and the eclectically eccentric (of which I am also one).
3. I may not have graduated in the standard 4 years of higher education, I am in fact starting my fifth year of college. The point is, I'm in college as opposed to having dropped out.
4. I graduated high school. I know I said I never went to high school, the clarification would be I never set foot in a physical high school. I was homeschooled my entire life and took classes with other kids in a physical building, but was never actually a part of any high school. I consider this an accomplishment and a blessing.
5. I'm self employed. Successfully I might add.
6. I have never used public transportation. Yes that's an accomplishment. I call.
7. Yes I still live with my parents. How's that an accomplishment? I'm not on the streets or struggling to pay any bills. I don't pay rent, I'm well fed for free, I have a loving support group 24/7, and I get free advice whether I asked for it or not. Plus they let me borrow their cars so long as I'm willing to run errands for them. Sounds fair to me.
8. I've driven across the country more than once.
9. I've lived in more than two states.
10. I've lived in more than two cities in some states.
11. I've lived on both coasts.
12. I won a gold medal in music. I know this contradicts with #9 in the other list, but I wasn't competing for this medal. My teacher gave me a medal because I was one of her top students and I improved drastically in one year from my former musical self. She felt the need to reward my hard work, by letting me know she saw the difference in my attitude and heard the difference in my music. I also won third place in a writing contest, but there was no prize, just the knowledge that I beat out everybody else for that position.
13. I mediated a heated protest for 3 weeks. Everyone on campus knew who I was for the rest of the year. I actually was treated with a lot more respect then than I ever have been in my entire life. It was really cool.
14. I taught myself Ancient Greek. I may not be able to speak it, but I sure can read it (well, read enough of it to get the general gist) and I can write phonetically in it. I usually end up writing people's names in it because they want proof that I can.
15. I learned all my geography by tutoring the international students. The highest compliments from them are that I'm their first stop instead of the tutoring center and they're all convinced I tutor better than the professors teach.
16. I have never received a negative review or comment about my music. Ever. Hence the successful self-employment.
17. I'm severely dyslexic but that hasn't stopped me from majoring in the English department.
18. The easiest instrument for me happens to be one of the hardest in the world to learn. If I had known that then, I would have said forget it. I didn't know it was hard, and for me, it never has been.
So there you have it. I may not have accomplished the same things my friends have, but I've accomplished some pretty neat things. I don't know about you, but I think I should get a 23rd year. ;)
Until next time this is the Amazon Artiste signing off.
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